Privacy Policy

Last updated: 5 August 2026

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Introduction

Andrea Ryan is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect and transparency.

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This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit www.andrearyan.co.uk, contact me, or use my counselling or clinical supervision services.

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I understand that the information you share with me is personal and often highly sensitive. I process your information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

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Who I Am

Andrea Ryan is the Data Controller for the personal information you provide.

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Practice Address:
Lytham Primary Care Centre
Warton Street
Lytham
FY8 5EE

Website: www.andrearyan.co.uk

Email: andrea@andrearyan.co.uk

ICO Registration Number: ZB594331

 

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how I use your information, please contact me using the details above.

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What Information I Collect

Depending on how you engage with my services, I may collect:

• Your name

• Address

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Date of birth

• Emergency contact details (where appropriate)

• GP details (where appropriate)

• Appointment and attendance information

• Payment records

• Correspondence between us

• Information you provide through my website contact form

 

As part of providing counselling or clinical supervision, I also process special category personal data, including information relating to:

• Mental health

• Physical health where relevant

• Relationships and family circumstances

• Personal history

• Risk and safeguarding concerns

• Information you choose to share during sessions

 

I only collect information that is necessary to provide safe, ethical and professional counselling and supervision.

 

How I Collect Your Information

I may collect information when you:

• Contact me by telephone or email.

• Complete the contact form on my website.

• Arrange an initial consultation.

• Begin counselling or clinical supervision.

• Attend appointments.

• Communicate with me during our professional relationship.

• Are referred by another healthcare professional or Employee Assistance Programme (where applicable).

 

My website also collects limited technical information, such as your IP address and browser type, through Google Analytics to help improve the website.

 

Why I Use Your Information

I use your information to:

• Respond to your enquiry.

• Arrange appointments.

• Provide counselling or clinical supervision.

• Maintain appropriate clinical records.

• Communicate with you.

• Manage appointments and payments.

• Meet legal, professional and ethical responsibilities.

• Protect you or others where safeguarding concerns arise.

• Maintain insurance, accounting and tax records.

• Respond to data protection requests or complaints.

 

I will never sell your personal information or share it with third parties for marketing purposes.

 

My Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, I rely on the following lawful bases:

• Contract – where processing is necessary to provide counselling or supervision.

• Legitimate Interests – to manage my practice safely and efficiently.

• Legal Obligation – where I am required to comply with the law.

• Vital Interests – where processing is necessary to protect someone from serious harm.

 

Where I process special category data, such as information relating to your health or mental health, I do so in accordance with Article 9 UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

Confidentiality

Everything you discuss with me is treated as confidential.

However, confidentiality is not absolute. I may need to share information where:

• there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person;

• there is a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable adult;

• I am required to do so by law or court order;

• disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect serious crime;

• there is a medical emergency;

• I discuss my work within professional clinical supervision.

 

Where possible, I will discuss this with you before sharing information unless doing so would increase risk or prevent appropriate safeguarding action.

 

Clinical Supervision

As a counsellor and clinical supervisor, I engage in professional supervision to ensure safe and ethical practice.

Client work may be discussed anonymously within supervision. Wherever possible, identifying information is removed or minimised. My supervisor is also bound by professional and ethical standards of confidentiality.

 

Clinical Records

I keep brief, factual clinical records to support safe and effective practice.

These may include:

• session dates;

• brief themes discussed;

• relevant risk or safeguarding information;

• agreed actions;

• appointment records.

 

I do not keep verbatim transcripts of counselling sessions.

 

How Long I Keep Information

I only keep personal information for as long as necessary.

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As a guide:

• Enquiry information is normally deleted within 12 months if therapy does not begin.

• Clinical records are normally retained for 7 years after counselling or supervision ends.

• Records relating to children and young people may be retained for longer where appropriate.

• Financial records are retained for the period required by UK tax legislation.

 

Where necessary, records may be kept longer for legal, insurance or professional reasons.

 

How Your Information Is Stored

I take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information.

This includes:

• password-protected devices;

• secure practice management software (Kiku);

• encrypted email where appropriate;

• secure cloud storage;

• restricted access to client information.

I regularly review my security arrangements to help protect your personal data.

 

Online Counselling and Supervision

Online sessions may take place using:

• Google Meet

• Microsoft Teams

• Zoom

 

These providers process some technical information required to deliver online meetings. Please refer to their own privacy policies for further information.

I ask that you also choose a private environment where you are unlikely to be overheard or interrupted.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

I may use AI tools to assist with general administrative tasks and creating practice resources. I do not use AI to process identifiable client information or confidential counselling or supervision sessions.

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Where I use AI for general business administration or drafting non-confidential content, I do not enter identifiable client information into those systems.

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Sharing Your Information

I will only share your information where necessary and lawful.

This may include:

• my clinical supervisor;

• professional advisers such as my accountant, insurer or solicitor;

• safeguarding services;

• emergency services;

• your GP (where appropriate);

• regulatory or legal authorities where required by law;

• a trusted clinical executor should I become unable to practise.

Where information is shared, only the minimum necessary information will be disclosed.

 

Website Cookies and Analytics

My website uses cookies to help it function properly and to improve your experience.

I use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use my website. This information is anonymised and helps me improve the website. Google Analytics does not identify you personally.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.

 

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• request access to your personal information;

• request correction of inaccurate information;

• request erasure of information where appropriate;

• request restriction of processing;

• object to certain types of processing;

• request transfer of your information where applicable;

• withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing.

I will respond to requests within one month unless the law allows additional time.

 

Data Protection Complaints

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me first at:

andrea@andrearyan.co.uk

I will acknowledge your complaint as soon as reasonably practicable, investigate the matter and respond without undue delay.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

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Information Commissioner's Office
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

 

Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional guidance or the way I provide my services.

The latest version will always be available at www.andrearyan.co.uk.

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